Section 1. No person shall be deprived of life, for the commission of an offense shall have the liberty, or property without due process of law, right to be informed of his right to remain silent nor shall any person be denied the equal and to have competent and independent counsel protection of the laws. preferably of his own choice. If the person cannot Section 2. The right of the people to be secure in afford the services of counsel, he must be their persons, houses, papers, and effects against provided with one. These rights cannot be waived unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever except in writing and in the presence of counsel. nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable, (2) No torture, force, violence, threat, and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall intimidation, or any other means which vitiate issue except upon probable cause to be the free will shall be used against him. Secret determined personally by the judge after detention places, solitary, incommunicado, or examination under oath or affirmation of the other similar forms of detention are prohibited. complainant and the witnesses he may produce, (3) Any confession or admission obtained in and particularly describing the place to be violation of this or Section 17 hereof shall be searched and the persons or things to be seized. inadmissible in evidence against him. Section 3. (1) The privacy of communication and (4) The law shall provide for penal and civil correspondence shall be inviolable except upon sanctions for violations of this section as well as lawful order of the court, or when public safety or compensation to and rehabilitation of victims of order requires otherwise, as prescribed by law. torture or similar practices, and their families. (2) Any evidence obtained in violation of this or Section 13. All persons, except those charged the preceding section shall be inadmissible for with offenses punishable by reclusion perpetua any purpose in any proceeding. when evidence of guilt is strong, shall, before Section 4. No law shall be passed abridging the conviction, be bailable by sufficient sureties, or freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, be released on recognizance as may be provided or the right of the people peaceably to assemble by law. The right to bail shall not be impaired and petition the government for redress of even when the privilege of the writ of habeas grievances. corpus is suspended. Excessive bail shall not be Section 5. No law shall be made respecting an required. establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free Section 14. (1) No person shall be held to answer exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment for a criminal offense without due process of law. of religious profession and worship, without (2) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall discrimination or preference, shall forever be be presumed innocent until the contrary is allowed. No religious test shall be required for the proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard by exercise of civil or political rights. himself and counsel, to be informed of the nature Section 6. The liberty of abode and of changing and cause of the accusation against him, to have the same within the limits prescribed by law shall a speedy, impartial, and public trial, to meet the not be impaired except upon lawful order of the witnesses face to face, and to have compulsory court. Neither shall the right to travel be impaired process to secure the attendance of witnesses except in the interest of national security, public and the production of evidence in his behalf. safety, or public health, as may be provided by However, after arraignment, trial may proceed law. notwithstanding the absence of the accused Section 7. The right of the people to information provided that he has been duly notified and his on matters of public concern shall be recognized. failure to appear is unjustifiable. Access to official records, and to documents and Section 15. The privilege of the writ of habeas papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of decisions, as well as to government research data invasion or rebellion when the public safety used as basis for policy development, shall be requires it. afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations Section 16. All persons shall have the right to a as may be provided by law. speedy disposition of their cases before all Section 8. The right of the people, including judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies. those employed in the public and private sectors, Section 17. No person shall be compelled to be a to form unions, associations, or societies for witness against himself. purposes not contrary to law shall not be Section 18. (1) No person shall be detained abridged. solely by reason of his political beliefs and Section 9. Private property shall not be taken for aspirations. public use without just compensation. (2) No involuntary servitude in any form shall Section 10. No law impairing the obligation of exist except as a punishment for a crime whereof contracts shall be passed. the party shall have been duly convicted. Section 11. Free access to the courts and quasi- Section 19. (1) Excessive fines shall not be judicial bodies and adequate legal assistance imposed, nor cruel, degrading or inhuman shall not be denied to any person by reason of punishment inflicted. Neither shall the death poverty. penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress Section 21. No person shall be twice put in hereafter provides for it. Any death penalty jeopardy of punishment for the same offense. If already imposed shall be reduced to reclusion an act is punished by a law and an ordinance, perpetua. conviction or acquittal under either shall (2) The employment of physical, psychological, or constitute a bar to another prosecution for the degrading punishment against any prisoner or same act. detainee or the use of substandard or inadequate Section 22. No ex post facto law or bill of penal facilities under subhuman conditions shall attainder shall be enacted. be dealt with by law. Section 20. No person shall be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a poll tax.